Crystal Roses
by LuvRoxasPoop
Summary: A group of young girls in mystical 18th century Venice, Italy fall into deep romantic relationships with gorgeous anime guys. Each girl possesses a unique relationship with her love. Some relationships are secure, whereas others will risk everything.
1. A Heart's Dream

Chapter 1

A Heart's Dream

* * *

Springtime was the most elegant season in the fair city of water, Venice. The air was always filled with warm rays of sun, songs of small birds, scents of irises and Mediterranean flowers in the fields, soft rush of waves over the warm beach sands. Among the city lingered the sound of cathedral bells chiming, children laughing and playing games by the fountain, gentlemen walking along and having conversations, the gondolas as they slowly glided on the crystal-blue watery roads which flowed between fine plazas and white buildings. The city was like an awakened princess, coming back to life by spring's kiss from her long, wintry slumber.

Taylor gazed at the distant, shimmering sea from her balcony as she was sitting on her little cushioned bench, sketching a picture of a ship that was sailing along. She made sure to include every little detail see noticed and rapidly scratched in lines in various areas. Her strokes became softer and smaller as she had begun to finish with her work. When she was done, she took the delicate piece of paper and lifted it to the side of her, allowing for the sunlight to make it easier to see. She compared it to the ship in the distance as her lips curled slowly into a smile. "Perfect," she whispered.

Taylor then looked over her shoulder to see her maid, Kairi approach her and stand next to her to see the sunset distance and the majestic ship slowly gliding on top of the line between the sky and sea. "The view always looks so lovely from here, especially during sunset," Kairi said softly. She then looked at the piece of paper in Taylor's hand and smiled. "Ah, and my lady is admiring it by drawing another masterpiece?"

"Does it look okay?" asked Taylor as she held the drawing towards Kairi. Kairi put her finger on her lips as she slightly leaned her head to the side as if skeptically observing a gem. She looked to the distant ship to compare, and then she joyfully replied, "A wonderful replica indeed."

"Brilliant. I should give this one to my mother," said Taylor. "She would be very impressed with it, since she likes to collect art to display in her house."

"A great idea, my lady," replied Kairi. "By the way, any word on how your dear mother is feeling these days?"

"Well, she is still ill and too weak to walk yet. The doctors say, however, that she will recover and become full y healthy again within a month's time from now. They say she is very fortunate compared to most cases." Taylor's mother had fallen with a severe illness and had been sick for the past three weeks, with doctors constantly visiting her. Because she lived in another mansion, Taylor would visit her mother daily in order to cheer her up and to comfort her, spending the time telling jokes and reading poetry and stories. The mother and daughter had much in common and shared the same type of humor, which made the company more worthwhile.

Taylor was a young girl of sixteen years old who was not at all unattractive with her long, brunette hair and shimmering dark brown eyes. She was the eldest of her three sisters and a wealthy heiress who inherited a huge family fortune from her father. Even though she was a woman, her father was an enlightened man who knew his daughter was able to have as much responsibility as a man and even bought her a house of her own. She currently lived in her beautiful, white mansion with her maid and close friend, Kairi, whom she had known ever since childhood. Even though Taylor's mother was ill, her father could not be there because of job-related duties in Spain, which also explains why Taylor visited her mother daily.

Later on that evening, Taylor got dressed into her blue, strapless nightdress and pulled out a book to read before bedtime. She decided to read something romantic that night, so she went to her small library of treasured literature to suit her interest. She pulled out a small, red book with a golden rose embroidered on the cover; this was one of Taylor's favorite romantic books of all time. She sat back down on her bed and flipped the book open to where she had left off before. She left off right before the most romantic scene in the book, and moments later she was sighing and swooning softly from reading such a beautiful and dreamy scene. She then began to slip away into her own fantasy, imagining a tall, handsome hero who would save her when she was in peril and then take her into his arms, giving her the most passionate kiss she ever had. These fantasies flowed through her mind like the sweetest scented myrrh until her senses were suddenly woken up and back into reality by the sound of knocking on her bedroom door. "My lady, may I come in?"

Taylor knew it was Kairi's voice. "Yes, you may," she said. The door opened, and Kairi walked in with her pink nightgown on and her dark brown hair in a small bun. Taylor closed her book and gently set it on her nightstand, expecting to continue reading a little more once Kairi went to bed.

"Sorry if I disturbed you at all," said Kairi. "I thought it would be nice to check on you and how far you have gotten so far in that book."

"Oh, it is getting better and better with every chapter," sighed Taylor dreamily as she remembered the scene she was on. "I have gotten to the loveliest part. It was so sweet."

Kairi began to giggle. "Oh, how I love those parts which so cradle my heart," she said. "If only something like that happened in my life, I would be the happiest girl in the world."

"Perhaps it shall happen one day. Every girl deserves for that to happen to her once in her lifetime where she meets the one she loves. Hopefully it shall happen to me as well. Mother and father never forced me into an arranged marriage like most; they always told us riches and status cannot determine true love between two people, but only if they are happy together and spiritually intertwined can they find eternal togetherness. " Indeed, her parents had put these ideas into practice, since her father was a wealthy man who met her mother, a peasant woman, and fell deeply in love with her regardless of her status. "However, because I am wealthy and without a marriage already planned…. I just do not know where to look."

Kairi closed her eyes and smiled. "Well," she replied, "I believe that the perfect man shall be immediately drawn to you only when the time is right. You may never know when he will show up, let alone who he will be, whether he is a prince or pauper. You will find someone one day, he will be consumed by your beauty, and he will love you as madly as you would love him. This I guarantee, and you should know, since you read many romantic stories."

Taylor's dark eyes began to shimmer dreamily as she heard these words from Kairi's lips. "Indeed, I know it shall happen one day," she said. "Who knows? Maybe I will see him at the duke's ball on Saturday?"

"Maybe you will," said Kairi. The two girls began to giggle. "Well, I shall off to bed now. Tomorrow, your friends shall be visiting, and you should rest well so that you will be as sprightly as a fairy when they come."

"Sounds nice to me," said Taylor as she pulled the silk covers over her and blew out her candles. "Good night, Kairi."

"Sweet dreams, my lady." Kairi blew out the last few candles and slowly closed the door behind her. Taylor rested her head down on the soft pillows and drifted away into a lovely slumber. The pillows and blankets began to feel like clouds as her mind entered her starry world of romantic dreams, her heart's very own dreams.


	2. Bright Expectations

Chapter 2

Bright Expectations

* * *

When morning came, Taylor slowly got out of bed and prepared herself for the day. Her friends were coming over to her estate at noon for a get-together with lunch and games, and she wanted to prepare and look her finest. She dressed herself in an elegant pink gown with frills and gold embroidery. Her gown also came with two separate sleeves that matched and slightly draped over her hands. She wore her hair in long, brunette curls which cascaded over her breast. She finally put on a white ribbon collar necklace with a round, blue jewel hanging on the front; this was her favorite necklace which she received on her sixteenth birthday from her mother, and it was one of her most heart-kept possessions.

When she was ready, Taylor came down the large marble steps into the large, splendorous lounge of her house. The lounge was elegantly decked in a white theme with finely cushioned furniture. A fine, round glass table sat in the middle of the room with a glass vase of roses placed upon it. Oriental carpeting covered the floor, and the rest of the room was accessorized with some more roses and crystal lamps on the walls. A sparkling crystal chandelier hung from the large ceiling, and the entire room was topped off with a giant window bordered by white silk curtains and showing a gorgeous view of the distant sea. If guests did not know this room was in a small mansion, then they would have thought the room belonged to a Mediterranean princess living in a giant golden palace.

Taylor stood there, looking out the large window at the ocean and remembering her conversation she had with Kairi last night. She wondered when her true love would come into her life and share an eternity of happiness with her, when she would fall in love with a man in body, mind, and spirit and have him love her that way as well. He would be tall, handsome, and strong, yet he would be kind, gentle, and respectful to her; and, of course, she would not care whether or not he was poor, for his heart would be rich with love and purity, a wealth which is never limited or lost. The best part of it, Taylor knew, was that there really was a man like that somewhere out there, and she knew god would bring him right to her at the right time.

Taylor snapped out of her thoughts when she suddenly heard the distant sound of horse's heels and wheels on concrete. Kairi came into the room in a purple maid's dress. "Your guests are here, my lady," she said. Taylor went into the next room and looked out the window to see carriages outside in front of her doors.

"Oh, wonderful, and just in time," Taylor cheered. She sweetly asked a servant next to her, "Would you be a dear and open the doors for them?" the servant unlocked the large, wooden doors and opened them all the way to show Taylor's friends as they got out of the carriages. Each of the beautiful ladies walked in one by one in colorful casual gowns and with servants by their sides.

The first to walk in was Gina, a comport, noble girl of seventeen with dark hair and brown eyes. She wore a frilly emerald green dress and held a gold fan, and her long, silky was wrapped into a love knot on the back of her head. She was not at all an unattractive woman; her regal appearance was that of a charming porcelain lady, and she possessed the grace and sweetness of a geisha.

Taylor greeted her and her advisor, Corey, when Sarah walked in graciously in her red gown. Sarah was a small and delicate girl of sixteen, peaceful and gentle. She was sometimes quiet, yet she was outgoing and passionate, characteristics which girls like her often did not possess. She had the visage of a fair China doll, but in that seemingly empty head of shimmering dark hair was a brilliant and creative mind which shone like a radiant sun. "Long time, no see, Taylor," she said happily.

"Hello, Sarah, I am so glad you could make it," said Taylor. "How are you?"

"I am well, thank you for asking," said Sarah as her soft lips turned into a smile. "Are you going to the duke's ball on Saturday?"

"Yes I am," replied Taylor. "I already have my dress picked out and everything. It is going to be such a fun time. My cousins Edward and Alphonze will even be coming back from their service in Ethiopia, and they will be joining us all. They should be here any moment from the harbor to have lunch with us."

Just then, Rebecca walked into the doorway. She wore a blue gown, and her long, dark brown hair was braided and draped over her left breast like a fine ribbon. There was much of a mysteriously beautiful air about her, like that of an enchantingly elegant moon rogue or nymph in disguise. Those in her presence, even her friends, instantly felt her illuminating aura. Nobody could figure out why, but it was always there.

A few other girls, Allie, Jenny, and Tori, also walked in together and were greeted by their hostess. "And the party has arrived," said Tori with her hands above her. She and the other girls laughed. They then followed Taylor into the dining hall, where servants had already set the table and filled glasses with ruby red wine. The dining table was made of finely polished woos and was decked with a red table cloth and vases of white roses down the middle. On one side of the room was a grand, marble fireplace, and a crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling of the room.

The guests sat down in their seats and talked while servants brought out fine soups, pastas, fish, bread and small pastries, and some herbs and olive oil for seasoning purposes. The guests took a bit of each and passed the rest along to the people next to them.

"What is Duke Kamina holding the ball for?" asked Rebecca as she sipped on her wine.

"To celebrate is recent engagement to a woman named Yoko," replied Gina. "She was one of his servant girls for about two years. Then he came to fall in love with her, and now Yoko and her family are moving into the palace because of the duke's proposal."

"A simple servant girl is marrying the Duke of Venice," summarized Jenny. "How very interesting. I wonder how many princes and lords are hysterically criticizing him about that."

"Quite a few men have already been," said Taylor. "I heard that when the Duke of Florence heard the news, he immediately went crazy and demanded that Kamina be thrown into a madhouse. He was even pulling on his own hair when he found out. Oh, how he overreacted to such a thing; I am deeply for the marriage. Nobody would dare go against society's demands unless if it were for true love."

"Indeed," said Sarah dreamily. "True love is so powerful and wonderful."

Just then, the dining hall doors opened, and two young men walked in. They were both dressed in casual attire. "Edward. Alphonze. I am so glad you are here," said Taylor as she stood from her seat and smiled.

"Pardon our tardiness," said Alphonze. "Venetian border security was stalled for almost an hour, so we were temporarily stuck in the harbor. The incident was due to a certain event."

"Oh, don't worry about it," said Taylor. "There is plenty of food. Go ahead and take a seat. Everyone, these are my two cousins, Edward and Alphonze Elric." The two gentlemen took a seat; Alphonze sat next to Taylor, while Edward sat down next to Gina. "Edward, Alphonze, allow me to introduce you to my friends," continued Taylor. She named each of the girls, then pointed to Gina last and said, "And this is Gina."

Edward turned to Gina and smiled. "Pleased to meet you, my lady," he said as he looked into her eyes. Gina looked at his golden eyes and was instantly unable to look away. Edward was very charming in appearance; he had blond hair and bright eyes like Alphonze, though is hair was in a large braid as opposed to his brother's ponytail. He was a month or two shy from nineteen and a year older than Alphonze. To Gina, he seemed like a prince, and for some reason she could not look away from those sparkling twilit eyes. In response, she could not help but to blush and say shyly, "The pleasure is mine."

Edward blushed a little and smiled more, for he, too, was charmed by Gina's beauty. He and Alphonze then grabbed their plates and took samples of the food. They ate and talked with everyone as usual, discussing the latest news and events.

Taylor then turned to Alphonze and said, "Alphonze, when you were talking about the security delay, what did you mean by 'a certain event?' What happened?"

Alphonze set down his wine glass after taking a sip and then replied to her, "A ship robbery occurred."

"A robbery? Oh my. Did they get away?"

"No, they did not."

"Who caught them?"

"The Fury of Dancing Flames did."

Everyone paused for a moment in surprise, and they had a very good reason to show much interest in such a subject. The Fury of Dancing Flames was the greatest crime fighter in all of Venice, a masked hero with astounding skill and stealth. To thieves and murderers, he was like a scarlet angel of death; the very mention of his name made even the deadliest of criminals begin to tremble and feel an icy chill run down their spines. The most mysterious thing about him was that nobody knew who he was, not his name, his face (which was covered by a black mask), or even if he was Venetian or not.

"You jest," said Rebecca with a curious smile.

"No," said Edward, "we heard with our own ears and saw from a distance as well. We were in line for customs, but the movement stopped when the guards were asked to come to the ship port immediately. About an hour later, a boy came and shouted that the Fury of Dancing Flames came and caught robbers smuggling cargo off a ship. We looked out a window to see guards taking away a few ragged-looking men. We then saw a mysterious man talking to a few of the guards. He was dressed in red, with hat and cloak, and he had a black mask covering the upper half of his face. All we could see were green eyes showing through the eye slits in the mask."

"To witness such a thing is quite fortunate," said Taylor. "I wish I was there to see."

"Maybe you shall encounter him," joked Gina with a smirk. "He might save you from a band of treacherous thieves and then fall in love with you. After all, you are quite pretty."

"Oh, you!" laughed Taylor.

* * *

After lunch, everyone went outside into the courtyard to play games and walk around in the bright garden. The scene was filled with bright flowers and roses of all colors. A white gazebo sat prettily next to a small stream that trickled down pebbles and rocks. A white bridge nearby the gazebo curved over the small stream, accented with a bush of scarlet roses. Guests walked through the place and felt as though they were in a romantic fairytale.

"Care to go horseback riding, everyone?" asked Taylor as servants brought out gorgeous horses from the stables nearby. Everyone smiled and agreed. They went through a gate to the east side of the mansion where the horses were set and ready to walk on a path into the forest. Each person grabbed a horse and was assisted onto it. When it was Edward and Gina's turn, they looked to see only one horse left.

"You may have the last horse, my lady," Edward said to Gina. "I can stay here for now until you all return."

Gina looked at his shimmering eyes for a moment and smiled. "Perhaps we could share and enjoy the ride together? I would hate to see you left behind."

Edward's eyes grew even brighter. "Of course," he said.

The horse was pure white and had strong legs with a red saddle on its back which was just large enough for two people to fit on. Edward helped Gina onto the horse first and then got on. He sat right behind her, so close and comfortable. He slipped his arms around her and grabbed the reins, wrapping his fingers over hers as she grabbed on as well. Gina smiled, and her cheeks became bright pink. She felt so secure, so warm near him.

The others began to move forward, and Edward shook the reins and made the horse go. They rode onward and into the forest, flying smoothly by the many green trees. Gina giggles as Edward bravely drove the heavenly and mystical horse next to the others. She zoned out for a moment and felt like she was in a dream; she was the princess, and Edward was the angelic prince near her and protective of her. This fantasy went on for a half hour until they returned to the house.

* * *

"Thank you for coming, everyone," said Taylor. Her friends waved good bye as they returned to their carriages. Edward, Alphonze, and Gina walked together and talked. As Alphonze readied the carriage, Edward said one last goodbye to Gina.

"I will see you again at the ball," said Edward.

"Until then, sir," Gina replied. "Parting is such sweet sorrow."

Edward gently took her soft, white hand and kissed it, causing bright, overwhelming warmth to illuminate throughout Gina's face. They departed into their carriages and left.

Taylor looked at them with a smile on her face. Kairi then came next to her and said, "Your cousin seems quite flattered by Gina."

"Indeed," said Taylor. "I have bright expectations that my cousin Edward will finally be in love."


End file.
